Crispy Rice Salmon Bowl (Print version)

Golden crispy rice topped with pan-seared salmon, Mediterranean vegetables, and tangy lemon-yogurt sauce

# Required ingredients:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 5.3 oz each), skin removed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Rice

05 - 2 cups cooked jasmine or basmati rice, preferably cold or leftover
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Mediterranean Vegetables

08 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
09 - 1 small zucchini, diced
10 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
11 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
13 - 2 tablespoons capers, optional
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Lemon-Yogurt Drizzle

18 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
20 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
21 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill or parsley, chopped
22 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

23 - Fresh dill or parsley, chopped
24 - Lemon wedges

# How to make it:

01 - Whisk together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh dill or parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, zucchini, and red onion, cooking for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, capers if using, oregano, salt, and pepper. Sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add cooked rice, pressing it down into an even layer. Cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes until the bottom develops a golden, crispy crust. Season with salt. Flip or stir to crisp additional sides if desired. Divide among serving bowls.
04 - Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until the exterior is golden and the flesh is cooked through.
05 - Top crispy rice with sautéed vegetables. Place one salmon fillet atop each bowl. Drizzle generously with lemon-yogurt sauce, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That crispy rice layer is pure magic—it's like having a secret crunch hiding under everything else.
  • All the components can be prepped ahead, so actual cooking time feels leisurely instead of chaotic.
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but doesn't demand any special techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
02 -
  • Cold rice is absolutely essential—warm or room-temperature rice will turn into a soggy disappointment instead of crisping up, and that's the whole draw of this dish.
  • Don't move the rice around while it's cooking; the first time I kept checking on it, I got soft rice instead of crispy, and now I'm evangelical about leaving it alone.
03 -
  • If you're marinating the salmon beforehand, even 20 minutes in olive oil, lemon, and minced garlic transforms it into something deeper and more complex.
  • The key to perfect salmon is medium-high heat and not moving it around—let the pan do the work, and you'll get that desirable golden exterior with moist interior.
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